C H A P T E R T W O148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgBIZ3tdFA
Once their tears had dried up and Oryn was sleeping peacefully on her lap, she heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in.” She called, the door creaking open to reveal a strawberry blonde boy peeking through the doorway.
She smiled softly, patting to the vacant spot beside her on the bed. Lucian walked over, sitting next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.
“I’m sorry about your father.” He whispered.
“It’s okay. We all knew it was bound to happen, anyways.” Oriana quietly replied.
“That doesn’t change the fact that it hurts.” Lucian told her. “When my father died in that carriage accident off the side of the mountain, it ripped my whole world apart. I may have only been 7, but I know you could tell how much it impacted me. You always tried to make me smile and were there for me through those dark days, and I want to return the favor. You can always come to me if you need to talk.”
Oriana laid her head on his shoulder, grateful for her friend's presence.
“Thank you for being such an amazing friend, Lucian.”
“Anytime.” He whispered, laying his head on top of hers.
Oriana had known Lucian since birth. He was like a brother to her and was always there for her, no matter what. She was grateful to have such a good friend.
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That morning Oriana woke up forgetting where she was and why she was there, then it all came rushing back to her in a rapid wave of tears. A few slipped down Oriana’s cheek as she slipped out of bed. She didn’t want to cry, but the grief was too overwhelming. She didn’t know if she would ever get over her Father’s death.
She slipped on the black leather skirt and frayed gray shirt laid out on the edge of her bed. She assumed Inola had it fetched from the Fallon house last night after she got home from the hospital and came over here. Oriana was grateful that they still had Inola, their loyal housemaid who was always on top of things.
She checked the shadow clock outside her window in the Valley’s garden. 9 o’clock in the morning, it read. She didn’t realize how exhausted she must have been. Ever since she found out her Father was sick, she had woken up at about 6 AM to take care of him, and didn’t end up going to bed until 11 PM to 2 AM.
She then realized Oryn hadn’t been next to her when she woke up. She began to panic, flying down the stairs. There he was, safely eating a pancake at the table with the Valleys. Oriana let out a sigh of relief as she walked over to the covered wooden dining table and pulled out a chair.
“Goodmorning, Oriana dear.” Ms. Valley greeted her as she sat down.
Lucian smiled reassuringly at her and slid a plate of golden brown pancakes drowned in syrup across the table for her.
Oriana couldn't help but smile. Lucian knew she loved her pancakes drowned in a gooey puddle of maple syrup. She took one bite and couldn't stop stuffing more pancake into her mouth as syrup dribbled down her chin. She looked up and saw Lucian trying to smother his laughter. The moment they made eye contact, they both burst into hysterical giggles. It didn’t seem right to be laughing when her father was gone, but man, it sure felt good. She hadn’t laughed this hard in months. Ever since her father got sick, the only reason Oriana visited Lucian was to deliver updates on her fathers health, and sadly, it was never good news. But it seemed like now that he was finally gone, a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders that she hadn’t realized had even been bothering her before. She still missed her father, sure, but in that moment she realized she could get through it with the people she cared about most comforting her and guiding her along the way. She just wished her father was there to help, as she had always looked up to him for advice. She would get through this, though. They would all get through this. Together.
As Lucian and Oriana’s giggles slowed, Ms. Valley asked: “So Oriana, how are you feeling about going off to school?”
That immediately put a damper on her newfound mood. She wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to go to school. She knew Lucian shared her reservations as well.
“It just feels like…” Oriana sighed. “in a society full of darkness and shadow, our 2 small houses out in the countryside are the only traces of real light in this world.”
That was why Oriana loved living out in the countryside so much. The Valleys and the Fallons were the only houses around for miles. Everywhere else was covered in city and suburbs.
The world they lived in was a dark place. The people inhabiting this planet are called the Mirk, people with the abilities to manipulate shadows and control the darkness. Everyone typically loves this lifestyle, where any trace of real happiness and joy was merely a whisper in the wind. But the two insignificant families no one knew of who lived out in the countryside had a different view on life. They wanted to foster that light, keep it alive, and spread it to the world. That was just a fantasy, though. Apparently living life to its fullest wasn't a priority to the rest of the people.
“I’m not sure if I want to go to school and manifest my Mirk abilities. I’m not ready to let the shadows enter my life, not when there's so much light to be found.”
“I get it, dear.” Responded Ms. Valley, quietly. “But just think about the light you could bring into someone else's world. You know, I never considered how much even the tiniest bit of light could change my life until I met Lucian’s father.” Oriana noticed a tear come to her eye. “Even if he’s gone, I carry on his light with me everywhere I go. You should do the same with the light your father gave.” Ms. Valley told her. “You could change a life.”
Oriana never thought of it this way. Could she change someone's life? Would she be brave enough to do it? She could tell tha Lucian was having those same thoughts as she glanced over at her friend who was deeply pondering, staring off into space.
“Gee, I guess I never thought of it that way,” Oriana said, breaking the silence. “Thankyou, Ms. Valley. That helps ease my nerves a bit.”
“Anytime, dear.” She smiles.
“I hope we get put in the same dorm,” Says Oriana, turning to Lucian.
Well technically it's not one whole dorm, but the rooms are connected.
“Me too.” He says, sharing Oriana’s fears.
Lucian and Oriana had never been to a school. They lived too far out from the rest of society to be able to get there by carriage every day, so they had always been homeschooled. But no matter what, when a child turned the age of 16, they would be sent off to a boarding school in their capital city, Cimmerian, to learn to harness and control their Mirk powers. Oriana was nervous to go to Cimmerian Academy, but at least she still had her best friend. She would miss her little brother, though. She wasn’t sure how he would do if she wasn’t there with him. Hopefully he would be safe here with Ms. Valley, Brenna, and Inola. She didn’t have time to worry about that right now, though.
Since the idea of school was just now returning into her brain, she wanted to pack for school and discuss it more with Lucian. She needed someone to help her sort through her cluttered brain right now, anyways. School was only in a week, after all. She needed to prepare.
“May I be excused? I want to begin packing my luggage for school.” Asks Oriana.
“Yes, of course, dear. Take Lucian with you as well. He may need help with remembering to bring his clothes.”
“Mom!” Lucian moaned.
“I’m just kidding.” Smiled Ms Lucian.
Oriana tried to suppress a laugh, but a little giggle escaped her lips.
Lucian grumbled as he pushed his chair back into the table and walked up the stairs with Oriana.
“I wish I had some way to know how this is going to go.” Oriana says, quietly.
“Me too.” Replies Lucian.
“At least we’ll have each other.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I suppose we should probably start packing for school.”
Lucian nods, and they quietly set to work, saying nothing.
Oriana sighs, breaking the silence. “I wish it could be how it was back when we were kids again. Not a care in the world, not having to worry about the stress of school or the weight of death.”
“Me too.” Replies Lucian. “I wish there was something I could say to settle the nerves of going to school, or the pain of losing a loved one, but no matter what I say, they remain.”
“I suppose the best we can do is pack for school and hope for the best.”
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